MOSCOW, July 13 (Xinhua) -- Nine Russian soldiers were killed and five others were wounded when rebels ambushed a Russian military vehicle in Chechnya on Saturday.

　　A vehicle carrying 15 soldiers hit a mine in a highway and then came under fire on its way back to the garrison in Chechnya's Shatoi region at around 05:00 p.m. (1300 GMT), Russian news agencies reported Sunday, citing military sources in Chechnya.

　　Russian troops have been fighting with rebels in the war-torn republic of Chechnya since they re-entered the lawless region in September 1999 following attacks by Chechen-based fighters in a neighboring region and a series of deadly bombings blamed on the rebels. End